Prime Minister Anthony Albanese knew US would strike Iran but not when, Sky News Sunday Agenda can reveal
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese was aware the US was planning strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities but did not know the exact timing, Sky News Sunday Agenda can reveal.
The US strikes hit key Iranian nuclear sites at Fordow, Natanz and Isfahan last weekend, before President Donald Trump declared a ceasefire between Israel and Iran.
Mr Albanese then waited more than 24 hours to issue an explicit statement of support for the strikes, after initially calling for 'dialogue' and 'de-escalation'.
It was not until after a meeting of the National Security Committee of Cabinet that Mr Albanese fronted the media and confirmed Australia backed the US action.
Critics have seized on the delay as evidence of hesitancy and weakness in Canberra's alliance with Washington.
Shadow defence minister Angus Taylor said the government was exhibiting 'anti-US alliance' sentiments, due to lacklustre support for the strikes.
'This was the right thing for the United States to do, Israel was entirely entitled to take action against Iran,' Mr Taylor told Sky News on Thursday.
'It was well within the rights of Israel to do what it did … the United States has played a very deft hand in the approach it's taken on this."
Former prime ministers Scott Morrison and Tony Abbott also weighed in, arguing that Mr Albanese should have immediately and publicly endorsed the strike.
'If you're in the United States and you take an action like this… you'd want to know your allies were with you 100 per cent,' Mr Morrison said.
Mr Albanese has defended the government's handling of the situation, noting that Australia is 'not a central player' in the Iran-Israel conflict.
'We run an orderly, stable government,' he told reporters, repeatedly declining to comment on intelligence matters.
'We are upfront, but we don't talk about intelligence, obviously. But we've made very clear this was unilateral action taken by the United States.'
At the same time, the broader Australia–US relationship has come under renewed scrutiny, amid calls for the Albanese government to lift defence spending.
The United States and NATO allies committed last week to increasing defence spending to five per cent of GDP by 2035.
While Defence Minister Richard Marles attended the NATO summit, Mr Albanese stayed in Australia, declining to attend after rumours he may go in order to meet President Trump.
Australia has committed to defence spending to 2.3 per cent of GDP - well below NATO's new target and the 3.5 per cent requested directly by US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth.
'Well, we have increased our defence investment,' Mr Albanese said on Friday.
'What we're doing is making sure that Australia has the capability that we need - that's what we're investing in.'
Government sources have privately expressed scepticism about the NATO targets, suggesting some countries inflate their defence figures by including roads and other infrastructure costs.
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